Detachable slidable form block for reciprocating die press

ABSTRACT

A form block is coupled to a driven slide for movement into and out of a path of a reciprocating die press ram permitting removal of a formed part outside of the press area and replacement with a new part which then moves into the path of the reciprocating ram. A driving slide coupled to the reciprocating die press ram oscillates to place the form block beneath the ram as the ram descends, and out of the path of the reciprocating ram as the ram moves away from the stationary bed. A mechanical clutch declutches the driven slide from the driving slide after the form block is aligned with the descending ram and just before impact of the ram with the work piece to insure cessation of movement of the work piece and the underlying form block during die forming.

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Roth

States Ptent [191 1 DETACHABLE SLIDABLE FORM BLOCK FOR RECIPROCATING DIE PRESS [76] lnventorz' Josef Roth, 13694 Settlement Acres 1 Dr., Brookpark, Ohio 44142 [22] Filed: Mar. 13, 1973 [21] Appl. N0.: 340,792

[52] US. Cl 72/421, 72/448, 72/DIG1 ll,

, IOO/DIG. 18, 214/1 BB [51] Int. Cl B21j 13/00 [58] Field of Search 72/421, 448, DIG. 11;

100/229 R, DIG. 18; 214/1 BB [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,650,411 3/1972 Reis 72/448 X Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Robert M. Rogers Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak [5 7] ABSTRACT A form block is coupled to a driven slide for movement into-and out of apath of a reciprocating die press ram permitting removal of a formed part outside of the press area and replacement with a new part which then moves into the path of the reciprocating ram. A driving slide coupled to the reciprocating die press ram oscillates to place the form block beneath the ram as the ram descends, and out of the path of the reciprocating ram as the ram moves away from the stationary bed. A mechanical clutch declutches the driven slide from the driving slide after the form block is aligned with the descending ram and just before im pact of the ram with the work piece to insure cessa tion of movement of the work piece and the underlying form block during die forming.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In punch press operation as in a reciprocating die press or the like, it is conventional for the press operator in a semi-manual operation, to place the parts to be formed into the pinch area of the die by hand, permitting the reciprocating ram and the movable die to impact the part fixedly supported on a stationary form block or stationary die. During the portion of the cycle of the press where the ram is raised, manual removal of the form part from the underlying form block may occur. Industrial safety requirements in effect today in many states do not permit the press operator to manually place the parts in position on the form block and position for die forming, as the operator is likely by misjudging the position of the ram or due to mechanical failure, have his fingers in the pinch area when the ram descends with resultant injury to the operator.

In order to insure the removal or ejection of formed articles which are shaped and/or punched from a reciprocating die press, applicant has provided an ejecting mechanism mechanically driven by the reciprocating ram ofa die press that utilizes the vertical motion of the ram to effect a linear sweep of an ejecting plate across the face of the fixed die during movement of the ram away from the die and which eliminates the need for the press operator to place his hands in the pinch area of the die. This ejecting mechanism is set forth in U. S. Pat. No. 3,593,56l.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invento n employs an essentially similar mechanism to that of U. S. Pat. No. 3,593,561 for driving a slidable form block between a position aligned with the descending ram and a position outside of the ram path, permitting the operator to place a part, prior to forming, on the upper surface of the form block, while the block lies outside the, pinch area of the die press, and wherein the form block is automatically moved intoa position aligned with and underlying the ram as the ram descends. I

I Further, the present invention is primarily directed to a clutch mechanism for momentarily stopping the reciprocation of the form blockat a position of alignment with the descending ram just before the ram impacts the part to insure cessation of movement of the work piece and the form block during the act of die forming. In particular, the clutch mechanism consists of an upper arm pivotally attached to the driving slide member which is reciprocated in the manner of the ejecting mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,561, while a driven slide is mounted on the fixed bed in the path of the driving slide with a portion underlying the pivotable upper arm. A notch within the lower arm receives the hook end of the pivoted upper arm which is biased into notch receiving position by a first compression spring. An elongated slot within the driven slide receives a depending pin from the upper clutch arm, and a second compression spring extends longitudinally within an elongated slot within the driven slide and is compressed between the rear end of the slot and the depending pin, tending to bias the driven slide forwardly and away from the driving slide. A pair of fixed cam blocks are positioned on each side of the driven slide and the hooked end of the upper clutch arm is provided with cam follower pins which protrude from respective sides and ride on the upwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surfaces of the fixed cam block as the form block fixed to the leading end of the driven slide nears its position of alignment with the descending ram as the mechanism moves the intercoupled driving and driven slides rearwardly. A fixed end stop acts as an abutment which is positioned forwardly of the fixed cam blocks on the bed and engages the rear surface of the form block when the form block is aligned with the descending ram. The cam follower pins ride on the inclined cam surfaces of the cam blocks to disengage the driving slide from the driven slide. The driving. slide continues to move rearwardly, away from the driven slide, compressing the coil spring within the elongated slot of the driven slide, between the slot end wall and the depending pin of the upper clutch arm. This permits the driv ing slide to continue its reciprocating motion, while the driven slide is stationary along with the form block which is in alignment with the descending ram, just before contact with the work piece and die forming of the part. As the motion of the driving slide changes from a direction moving away from the stationary form block, to a direction moving towards the same, the compression spring acting on the pivotable upper clutch arm, forces the hooked end of the clutch arm back into the notch of the driven slide moving the formed part on the form block out of the pinch area of the die to the other limit of travel for the driven slide, whereupon the operator removes the formed part and replaces it with a new, unformed part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the declutchable, reciprocating form block and its punch operated drive mechanism for the same which forms a preferred em bodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional, elevational view, partly broken away, of the mechanism of FIG. I, with the form block in fully extended position outside of the path of movement of the reciprocating ram, corresponding to the position of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a similar, elevational view to that of FIG. 2, with the form block positioned just beneath the descending ram, in declutched position relative to its drive mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the clutch operated form block slide mechanism of the present invention is illustrated generally at 10 and is provided with a base plate 12 corresponding to the stationary bed (not shown) of a reciprocating die press whose descending press ram 14 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, said reciprocating press ram is mounted for reciprocating movement by means (not shown) in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the upper reciprocating die 16 which depends therefrom. In this respect, an arm 18 extends rearwardly from the punch press ram 14 and has fixed thereto a bracket 20 carrying a U-shaped opening 22 within the rear face of the same. Opening 22 receives a circular bearing member 24 which is adjustably positioned longitudinally on slotted arms 26 of an L-shaped sectional lever 28 in the identical manner to the mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,561. In this respect, the

base plate 12 carries a pair of fixed, upright arms 30 upon which lever 28 is pivotably mounted by means of shaft 32, which extends through aligned opening 34 at the upper ends of arms 30. Block 36 carries a longitudinal groove 38 within its upper surface which receives the driving slide 40 corresponding essentially to carriage 16 of the referred to patent. The tip end of lever 28 extends within a slot 42 at the rear of driving slide 40, and groove 38 is suitably formed to permit the lever 28 to oscillate freely in response to vertical reciprocation of bracket as the press ram 14 is raised and lowered with the result that the driving slide 40 reciprocates in a horizontal direction and along a path, generally intersecting the path of movement of ram 14, which moves at right angles thereto.

Fixed to the press bed (not shown) and lying forward of block 36 which houses the reciprocating driving slide 40, is a second fixed block 46 upon which is mounted a longitudinally grooved guide block 48; block 48 carrying on its upper surface a longitudinally extending groove 50, within which connecting arm or driven slide 52 reciprocates. The driven slide 52 is in axial alignment with driving slide 40 and has fixed to its outer end, rectangular form block 54, while further acting as the passive member of the clutch mechanism indicated generally at 46. The clutch mechanism 56 detachably couples the driven slide 52 to driving slide 40 for reciprocation horizontally as result of the up and down movement of the press ram 14. Form block 54 is provided with a notch 58 receiving the projecting end 60 of the driven slide 52 and being appropriately pinned thereto to by means (not shown) insure movement of the form block with the driven slide 52 in either direction from an outboard position indicated in FIG. 2, as defined by the fully extended position of the driving slide 40 as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, to an inboard position determined by a fixed end stop 62 fixed to the upper surface of mounting block 46 in the path of the moving form block 54. End stop 62 is longitudinally positioned such that the form block 54 is centered within the path of the reciprocating press ram 14 at contact. Further, the end stop 62 is so positioned that the form block 54 is stopped momentarily from being reciprocatively driven just prior to termination of downward movement of the punch press and contact of the form punch or moving die 16 with the unformed part (not shown) underlying the same and supported on the upper-surface of the form block 54, this occurring just before the driving slide 40 reaches the inner end of its travel within the slot 38 of guide block 36. It is to this end that clutch mechanism between the driven slide 52 and the driving slide 40 to which the present invention is primarily directed.

in this respect. the driven slide 52 is provided with a transverse rectangular notch 64 within the upper surface of the same to the rear of the connection between the projection 60 of the driven slide 52 and the form block 54. In addition, the driven slide 52 carries an elongated slot 66, which extends rearwardly in the direction ofits longitudinal axis from a point spaced from the rear of transverse slot 64. An upper clutch arm 68 is pivotably mounted on the driving slide 40 at the outer end of the slide 40 by means ofa pair of fixed upright arms 70 and a transversely extending pin 72 which defines the pivot axis for the upper clutch arm intermediate of its ends. A compression spring 74 is compressed between the upper surface of the driven slide 40 and the lower surface of the upper clutch arm 68 to the rear of the pivot axis as defined by pin 72, thus tending to pivot the upper clutch arm counterclockwise about pin 72 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The leading end of the upper clutch arm 68 terminates in a hook 76 of a size and configuration such that it is received within transverse notch 64 of the driven slide 52, permitting the leading end face 78 of the upper clutch arm to engage side wall 80 of notch 64, and trailing end face 79 to engage side wall 81 of notch 64, when driven in the reverse direction. Thus, contact between the outer end face 78 of the upper clutch arm and side wall 80'of notch 64 within the driven slide effects movement of the driven slide 52 and the form block 54 fixed thereto from a position underlying the descending punch ram 14 to a position outboard therefrom as seen in FIG. 2, beyond the path of the punch press ram 14, permitting the formed part removal and replacement with an unformed part. Additionally, the upper clutch arm 68 is provided with an alignment pin 82 which depends from the bottom surface of the upper clutch arm 68 and is of a size and length so as to fit within the longitudinal slot 66 within the driven slide 52. Further, a second compression spring 84 is positioned within slot 66 and is compressed between the inner end wall 86 of the slot and pin 82 so as to constantly bias the pin 82 toward the outer end wall 88 of slot 66. The position of the pin 82 is preferably such that it nears the end wall 88 of slot 66 at the same time that the leading end 78 of the upper clutch arm contacts side wall 80 of transverse notch 64 within the same driven slide 52 under compression of spring 84.

In order to effect automatic disengagement of the driven slide 52 from the driving slide 40, which continues to reciprocate at all times by a positive coupling to the cyclically reciprocating punch press ram 14, a cam block support plate 90 is fixed to the upper surface of base plate 12, in front ofblock 36 and has fixed thereto in upright position, a pair of cam blocks 92 on each side of the horizontally slidable driven slide 52, and the pivotable upper clutch arm 68 which is carried by the driving slide 40. In this respect, a pair of upwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surfaces 94 are formed on each of the cam blocks, these surfaces facing forwardly towards the form block 54. Cam follower pins 96 extend outwardly from each side of the upper clutch arm and are located on the clutch arm adjacent to hook 76 and positioned in such a manner that as the driving slide 40 and the upper clutch arm 68 move rearwardly during the downward stroke of the press ram 14, the pins 96 engage respective cam surfacs 94, causing the hook 76 to move out of the transverse notch groove 64 and permitting continued rearward motion of the driving slide 40 after disengagement with the driven slide 52. Further, the end stop 62 is positioned relative to the form block 54 and cam blocks 92, such that the hook end face 79 disengages from transverse notch side wall 81 at the moment the form block 54 contacts the end stop 62, by the action of the cam follower pins riding on the aligned cam surfaces 94. The depending pin 82 moves rearwardly relative to the slot 66 compressing coil spring 80. The slight clockwise rotation of the upper clutch arm 68 about its pivot axis defined by pin 72 is resisted by coil spring 74, causing further compression of that spring, while simultaneously the rearward movement of pin 82 within slots 66 causes compression of coil spring 84. This has the effect of permitting the driving slide 40 and the upper clutch arm to travel rearwardly a slight distance after disengagement of driving slide 40 from driven slide 52, and it is at this moment that contact is made between the form punch l6 and the part (not shown) carried on the upper surface of the form block 54. Further, there is required a small amount of travel of the driving slide 40 in the forward direction or in a direction toward the now stationary form block 54 prior to engagement of hook end face 78 with the transverse notch side wall 80, whereupon both the slides 40 and 52 move in unison to drive the form block from the inboard position of FIG. 3 to the outboard position of FIGS. l and 2. The press ram 14 moves from form punch impact position illustrated in FIG. 3 to a position raised relative to the form punch, as illustrated in FIG. 2, during the time that the form block 54 moves outwardly, well beyond the path of travel of the press ram 14, thus permitting manual removal of a formed part and replacement with an unpunched part. Cyclic operation continues with automatic declutching of the form block as it reaches a position underlying the punch press, just before punch impact to insure a stationary condition of both the form punch and the unformed part carried thereby prior to form punch impact. The hook 76 and notch 64 form release means for the drive means.

The drawings illustrate only one preferred form of the invention, and it is obvious that changes and variations may be made without affecting the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a reciprocating die press or the like including a reciprocating ram movable toward and away from a stationary bed, the improvement comprising:

a form block slidably mounted on said bed for movement between a first position lying in the path of the reciprocating ram for die forming ofa part car ried thereby and a second position lying outside of the path for removal of the formed part therefrom and replacement with a new unformed part,

drive means operatively coupling said form block to said rain for causing said block and said work piece .to move to said first position as said ram moves in a direction towards said bed and to a second position as said ram moves away from said bed, said drive means including a clutch mechanism for momentarily' decouplingsaid form block from said ram as said form block reaches said first position just before said ram impacts said unformed part, to insure cessation of movement of said part and said underlying form block during die forming.

2. The die press as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a driving slide slidably mounted on said bed for reciprocating along its longitudinal axis toward and away from the path of said reciprocating ram, and said clutch mechanism comprises; a driven slide mounted on said bed for sliding movement along a path intersecting the path of movement of said press ram, means fixing said form block to said driven slide .for movement therewith, and release means carried by said slide for normally mechanically coupling said drive slide to said driven slide and fixed means carried by said bed and engageable with said release meansfor operating said release means when said block moves to said first position from said second position.

3. The die press as claimed in claim 2, wherein said release means comprises; a clutch arm pivotably mounted on said driving slide and having a portion overlying said driven slide, a hook carried by said portion of said clutch arm, a notch within said driven slide for receiving said hook, means biasing said arm into a position where the hook engages said notch, cam follower means carried by said arm, and wherein said fixed means comprises camming means positioned in the path of said cam follower means and responsive to contact therewith for forcing said hook from said notch against said biasing means to uncouple said driven slide from said driving slide.

4. The die press as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an end stop positioned in the path of said form block at a position related to said camming means such that said form block engages said end stop at the moment said camming means causes said driven slide to be uncoupled from said driving slide.

5. The die press as claimed in claim 3, wherein said camming means comprises at least one cam block fixedly coupled to said bed and extending along the side of said driving slide, said cam block including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surface, and wherein said cam followermeans comprises a corresponding follower pin fixed to said arm, adjacent said hook and extending outwardly of said arm and to the side thereof, for movement along a path intersecting said cam surface. I

6. The die press as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an end stop fixed to said bed and positioned in the path of said'form block and located relative to said cam block such that said cam follower pin rides on said upwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surface to the extent of releasing or uncoupling the driven slide from the driving slide at the moment of impact between said form block and said end stop.

7. The die press as claimed in claim 3, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring-subsequent to decoupling of said hook from said transverse notch.

8. The die press as claimed in claim 4, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring subsequent to decoupling of said hook from said transverse notch.

9. The die press as claimed in claim 5, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring subsequent to decoupling of said book from said transverse notch.

10. The die press as claimed in claim 6, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring subsequent to decoupling of said hook from said transverse notch. 

1. In a reciprocating die press or the like including a reciprocating ram movable toward and away from a stationary bed, the improvement comprising: a form block slidably mounted on said bed for movement between a first position lying in the path of the reciprocating ram for die forming of a part carried thereby and a second position lying outside of the path for removal of the formed part therefrom and replacement with a new unformed part, drive means operatively coupling said form block to said ram for causing said block and said work piece to move to said first position as said ram moves in a direction towards said bed and to a second position as said ram moves away from said bed, said drive means including a clutch mechanism for momentarily decoupling said form block from said ram as said form block reaches said first position just before said ram impacts said unformed part, to insure cessation of movement of said part and said underlying form block during die forming.
 2. The die press as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a driving slide slidably mounted on said bed for reciprocating along its longitudinal axis toward and away from the path of said reciprocating ram, and said clutch mechanism comprises; a driven slide mounted on said bed for sliding movement along a path intersecting the path of movement of said press ram, means fixing said form block to said driven slide for movement therewith, and release means carried by said slide for normally mechanically coupling said drive slide to said driven slide and fixed means carried by said bed and engageable with said release means for operating said release means when said block moves to said first position from said second position.
 3. The die press as claimed in claim 2, wherein said release means comprises; a clutch arm pivotably mounted on said driving slide and having a portion overlying said driven slide, a hook carried by said portion of said clutch arm, a notch within said driven slide for receiving said hook, means biasing said arm into a position where the hook engages said notch, cam follower means carried by said arm, and wherein said fixed means comprises camming means positioned in the path of said cam follower means and responsive to contact therewith for forcing said hook from said notch against said biasing means to uncouple said driven slide from said driving slide.
 4. The die press as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an end stop positioned in the path of said form block at a position related to said camming means such that said form block engages said end stop at the moment said camming means causes said driven slide to be uncoupled from said driving slide.
 5. The die press as claimed in claim 3, wherein said camming means comprises at least one cam block fixedly coupled to said bed and extending along the side of said driving slide, said cam block including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surface, and wherein said cam follower means comprises a corresponding follower pin fixed to said arm, adjacent said hook and extending outwardly of said arm and to the side thereof, for movement along a path intersecting said cam surface.
 6. The die press as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an end stop fixed to said bed and positioned in the path of said form block and located relative to said cam block such that said cam follower pin rides on said upwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surface to the extent of releasing or uncoupling the driven slide from the driving slide at the moment of impact between said form block and said end stop.
 7. The die press as claimed in claim 3, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring subsequent to decoupling of said hook from said transverse notch.
 8. The die press as claimed in claim 4, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring subsequent to decoupling of said hook from said transverse notch.
 9. The die press as claimed in claim 5, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring subsequent to decoupling of said hook from said transverse notch.
 10. The die press as claimed in claim 6, wherein said driven slide includes a longitudinal slot therein spaced rearwardly of said transverse hook receiving notch, said pivotable clutch arm includes a fixed pin extending downwardly from the surface thereof facing said underlying driven slide, within said slot and movable longitudinally therein, and a compression spring carried by said longitudinal slot, and compressed between the rear end wall of said slot and said pin to normally bias said hook forwardly relative to said driven slide to force said driven slide and said form block fixed thereto to follow said driving slide but permitting movement of said driving slide and said clutch arm rearwardly against the bias of said coil spring subsequent to decoupling of said hook from said transverse notch. 